Test of Fate
by Banzai Ryu
Summary: Theo spent most of her life wishing she could be a trainer, but was never able to become one because of money problems. Now she's entered in a contest, where the prize is a real trainer's license. But things aren't going as planned for Theo...
1. Default Chapter

             _Test of Fate,_ Part One

Chapter One- Introduction to the Game

            _Oh God, why am I here?  I don't know if I can do this._

            Theo glanced up at the sky, shielding her warm, golden brown eyes from the bright sun.  The sky was a bright blue, almost cloudless.  The wind whipped up out of nowhere again, blowing the red dirt into the faces of the kids who stood in the corral.  The ground in the corral was bland, decorated with nothing but the red dirt that blew in the breezes and had a tendency to get everywhere, including into people's mouths and eyes.  As a result, the group of twelve children stood in a small huddle, as if hoping that somehow their unity would keep the dirt out.  There was a small, two story house off to one side of the corral, and a large barbed wire fence blocked off the small ranch from the parking lot outside.  The fence disappeared out of sight to the south, getting lost behind the tall pine trees that made up a dense, dark forest.  The sky contrasted sharply with the dull and ugly colors of the Pokémon Game Reserve's waiting area.

            Theo felt a sharp nudge in her side as Tyler elbowed her.  She turned and looked up at him, and he gave her a quick smile of encouragement.  She smiled back, though much more weakly.

            "Nervous?" he said quietly to her, leaning down slightly.

            "Yah.  Yah I think so."  Theo bit her lip.  She turned and stared back out towards the ranch house again.  Tyler looked down at Theo worriedly.  He could always tell how his friend was feeling, and he knew that right now she was scared out of her wits.  And, although he would never tell her, he was too.  Out of habit, Tyler pushed a long strand of dark hair out of his green eyes.  It fell back immediately.  Tyler sighed, and stared out in the direction that Theo was looking.  

There was very little that the two friends had in common besides their ages.  Tyler was tall, lean, dark haired, and green eyed.  He was also outgoing, smart, and possessed an extraordinary sense of humor.  Tyler was almost the exact opposite of the small, fair haired girl next to him.  Theo was very intelligent, but most people didn't really know that about her because she was too shy to get to know them well enough for them to figure it out.

In fact, most people knew next to nothing about Theo.  The girl seemed to be able to turn herself invisible when she wanted to. 

 Tyler thought that their personalities and appearances complemented one another's, and strangely enough most people agreed.  Not that Theo ever really knew about what other people said.  She had grown up in a small, quiet family, and large social settings were a bit dizzying and almost overwhelming for her.  She usually stuck close to Tyler when she had to go to things like that.  

Theo had been Tyler's neighbor since they were babies.  Theo's mom had been pregnant when she moved to Pallet town, running away from another bad marriage.  Tyler's parents had lived next door, and were very sympathetic to the abused mother.  The two children were born within a month of each other.  Theo was the older of the two, a fact for which Tyler had never quite forgiven her.  The two had grown up together, more like siblings than anything else.  Theo had trouble trusting her mother.  Eloise Caughley was prone to getting herself into bad relationships with men, and was almost never home.  Because of this, Theo had been left with Tyler most of her life, and felt grateful for that.  Theo liked Tyler a lot, and the two got along very well, despite their different personalities.  

Theo's fascination with pokémon started when she was young.  Tyler had once taken her to a small shelter where he worked.  The place was small, and helped homeless pokémon find families.  After spending five minutes with a baby Growlithe, Theo had volunteered herself for a permanent job there.  

Tyler was happy for the company.

Trainers usually started their League challenges at an early age, with ten being the norm.  Theo had managed to get her mom to sign the form, and send it off early.  Tyler sent out his form a week later.  When they got their responses, both kids were devastated.  They had both been rejected, and would have to wait at least another year until they could reapply.  The two tried four more times, and each year they found a rejection slip in their mailboxes.  It seemed that both Tyler and Theo, despite their obvious skill at handling and training pokémon were doomed to join the ranks of the potential trainers who simply weren't rich enough to actually become trainers.

But all that changed two weeks before Theo's fifteenth birthday.  She came home from school one day two find two letters addressed to her- one from the Professor Oak's Pokémon Research Center, and one from some kind of place that called itself Pokémon Game Reserve.  Theo read the one from Oak first.  It was a rejection slip, saying the same things it did every year.

No surprise there.

A little bit resignedly, Theo had opened the second letter, which was larger than the first.  Inside, she found a slip of paper.  After reading the first couple of lines, she had nearly dropped her backpack in surprise.  The P.G.R. was holding some kind of contest that she had qualified for, and the grand prize that given to those who won - here Theo's heart skipped a beat- was to become a full trainer, complete with pokédex and six real pokémon!

Theo had practically scrambled into the house to call her mother.

Later that day, Theo had gone over to Tyler's, practically crushing the letter between her two hands.  Tyler opened the door even before she had rung the bell.  He was panting, and his face was a little pink.  His eyes were sparkling.  Clenched in his fist was the same letter. 

So here they were, waiting at the very place that the letter had told them to wait.  

The Pokémon Game Reserve was huge, even bigger than the Safari Zone.  Theo had watched it pass by on the way up.  Its scenery had changed often.  Sometimes the landscape was like a marsh, and other times it was perfect, rolling hills.  Obviously, this place was home to all sorts of pokémon.  

If pokémon lived here, of course.  

Tyler looked at his watch, and then angrily scuffed his boot against the ground.

"Dammit!  Theo, we've been here for two whole hours!  If we have to wait any-"

Theo shushed him and pointed.  The ranch house door had opened, and a man was walking out of it, heading towards them.  Everyone quieted down instantly.  

The man was tall and strong looking.  He had short, cropped hair and salt and pepper stubble on his chin.  He had an enormous stride, and covered ground between him and the children quickly.  When he got closer, Theo could make him out better.  She could tell he was probably in his late forties, and he had a fierce face with sharp black eyes that made Theo's knees turn to water.  

            "Imposing" could barely begin to describe the man.

            He stopped in front of the small band of kids, and gave them a sharp, glowering stare.  They stepped back quickly.

            "All of you are here today to compete in the Pokémon Game Reserve's yearly competition," he stated.  His voice was harsh and booming, and Theo flinched slightly.  "And I am here to tell you exactly what the rules are.  Then we'll see how this batch fares." 

 Another calculating glare.

"There are only a few rules," the man barked, "and I trust that all of you are smart enough to remember them.  First of all, you should know- this is a test.  If you break the rules, it will be considered cheating.  And all cheaters are thrown out."

There was a lot of nervous shuffling among the kids.  Theo swallowed, and felt Tyler shift his weight from one leg to the other-something he did when he was nervous.

"The test objectives are simple.  Placed throughout this reserve are red flags, which you must capture and bring to Sunset Island, _before five o'clock on the third day of this test.  You will be given a set of six pokémon, which you must use to capture a flag.  The winners will have a celebration held in their honor.  The reward for passing this test will be given out after all the trainers have arrived on Sunset Island.  The winners will become fully certified trainers, with a license to train pokémon, and a pokédex.  They will also receive the six pokémon they used in this little test."_

At this point, the man paused, and looked over the faces of all the potential trainers.  Theo could see that Tyler's face, like every other kid's face, was lit up with excitement, and his eyes burned passionately.

Theo knew she had the same look on her face. 

The man smirked, and his already scary eyes seemed to glow malevolently.

"Yes, kiddies.  I bet you all think that this is going to be a piece of cake, eh?  Well, here's the catch- there are only six flags on the island.  And, if I count right, I'd say their look to be at least twelve of you here."

There was a very long pause, and Theo felt her stomach sink a little.  Her face paled a bit, and she looked at the red dirt ground.  

"So this isn't a test," Tyler said loudly, voicing what everyone else there was thinking, "It's a competition!"  An angry flush rose in his cheeks.  Theo knew how much Tyler hated it when people tricked him, and she could see that he felt tricked right now.

"It _is a test," the man snapped, his eyes boring into Tyler's face, "And like every other test out there, you can fail."_

Tyler's flush deepened.

"I suggest that you all get used to competition.  The few of you who do actually make it through here will be facing a lot more of it."

Again, the huge man looked over the audience, but this time he looked especially hard at Tyler, who stared back at him with an equally hard glare.   

"In a couple of minutes, I'm going to hand out belts and sets of six pokémon to each child here.  These are the pokémon you will be using in this…_competition.  I will also give out backpacks with food bars, matches, and a pocket knife inside.  These are the survival necessities that you are absolutely going to need during your stay here.  The bars will last you through your first day, and after that you're on your own."_

He paused, and a tense silence followed.  Theo had never survived in the wild by herself before.  In fact, she had never even been camping.  

This was going to be harder than it looked.

"So now," the man continued finally, "I think it's time to go over the rules."  The man reached into his army jacket, and withdrew a small piece of paper with writing scrawled over it.  The man flattened it out, and then began to read aloud to them in his booming voice.   "Rule One- trainers are not allowed to help other trainers out, unless it is an extreme emergency."  He paused, and glowered at them. "A child falling off a cliff is an emergency.  Getting lost in the woods is not."

Theo had the distinct impression that the man had added the last bit on.

"Rule two- Trading pokémon is forbidden.  You keep the set that is given to you throughout the entire exercise, no matter what.  If you are caught with a pokémon that is not your own, you will be disqualified on the spot."  He paused again, and looked them over.

More nervous shuffling.

 "Rule three- You own a flag after having possession of it for twenty-four hours.  After that, that flag specifically belongs to you, and no longer counts as free to take.  Before that, though, other trainers are allowed to take it from you in any way they want.

"That said, Rule four- Taking another trainer's flag after twenty-four hours is _strictly forbidden, and the offender will be punished severely.  And finally, you must use all of your pokémon at least once in this test.  The whole point of Pokémon Game Reserve is to find the most adaptable and resourceful would-be trainers.  Working with your pokémon in this exercise will teach you how to win battles later on."_

The man put the sheet away, and straightened.  Everyone present fidgeted nervously.  Theo was suddenly struck by the difficulty of the task ahead, and found herself feeling a bit inadequate.  

Again.

One glance around the area and she knew that others felt the same way she did.  She heard Tyler scuff his boot against the ground, and stick his hands into his pockets.  The man turned to face his unhappy audience once again.

"This is going to be a difficult task, and I would bet that most of you are going to quit halfway through.  The trainers who do make it through, though, are destined to be some of the best.  This test was designed to find the top potential trainers who had been passed up because of money problems.  Those few who do are destined to be legends, despite their humble origins."  The man paused, and looked over the children.  He had an unreadable expression on his face.  "Follow me," was all he said.  

The man turned, and began to walk away.  The kids followed him in a slightly messy line.  Theo stuck close to Tyler, but didn't look at him.  She was lost in her own thoughts.

The man led them out of the corral and into a small building off to one side.  They all went inside, and waited.  The man seated himself behind a desk piled with long leather straps and backpacks.  He waited for them to arrange themselves in a line, than beckoned them forward one by one.  Tyler went before Theo, and the man handed him a belt with six pokéballs, a bag, and a piece of rolled up paper.  Tyler unrolled it quizzically, and looked at it.  

"Oh, it's a map!" he said.

"Yes, it charts the entire reserve.  The small area marked with a 1 is the Corral; where we are now."

"All the main areas have names," Tyler said, turning to face the daunting individual behind the desk, "and some have X symbols next to the names.  What are they?"

"They X's mark how dangerous an area is.  One X means that the area is risky, or not totally safe.  Two X's means it's dangerous, and you should avoid it if you can.  Three X's mean the area is extremely dangerous, and there is a good chance that you could get very hurt."

Tyler didn't speak, nor did any other person present.

They came up quietly, each taking their own set of things.  When it was Theo's turn, she walked up slowly, and waited.  The man looked up at her, and narrowed his eyes slightly.  She met his fierce stare, but felt her knees go a little weak.  The closer you got to this man, the scarier he seemed to get.

He drew his gaze away finally, and reached into the pile of bags and handed her one.  Theo put it on the ground next to her, and waited for him to register her on a sheet of paper.  Then, slowly, he reached into the pile of belts and drew one out.  He gave the belt a look, and smiled slightly.  Then he turned to Theo.  She took it from him, and touched the leather reverently.  Then she strapped it loosely around her waist.  She stepped out of line quickly after getting the map.

Things went swiftly after that.  Everyone else received their things, and then the man led them outside.  

"I'd prefer it," he said to them, "If you did not release your pokémon on the premises.  Some of you have received some very…_big_…pokémon, and it'll get ugly if they come out in here." He gestured to the Corral.

Theo shuddered as the image of an Onix crushing them all filled her mind.

"Okay," the man said, "I will ask each of you to set off now.  Give each trainer fifteen minutes to go ahead of you, just so you don't risk running into each other."  He paused.  "Good luck to each of you."

The kids set of down the path that headed into the forest one by one, each one looking more nervous that the one before him.  Finally, Tyler stepped up.  He turned to face Theo.

"Well, seeya at the victory celebration then." He said, giving her a confident smile.  She smiled back at him.

"I'll be rooting for you."

"Ditto."

"Move it, kid!  You can talk to your girlfriend later!" the man said irritably.

Tyler winked at Theo, who was blushing deep red.  Tyler's smile widened.  He fastened the pokébelt around his waist, letting it fall to one side.  He turned and started down the road.  Theo watched him walk away.  Tyler looked very self assured, almost to the point of being cocky.  Theo knew it was an act.

She couldn't have been his friend from birth without knowing when he was faking it.

Tyler had always had a confident, balanced stride, as far Theo knew.  But somehow, it seemed different now…  Theo didn't know what it was, but somehow, Tyler looked better.

Perhaps it was the belt.

Theo sighed.  She was next.  Hefting her bag onto her shoulders, she walked out down the road.  She gripped the straps tightly, and tried to ignore the stares she knew she was getting.

She only hoped she looked half as good as Tyler did.


	2. chapter two

            _Test of Fate, Part One_

                                                                                    Chapter Two- Friends and Enemies

            Theo blinked as the amount of light dropped drastically.  It had been bright and sunny outside just a moment ago, but the minute she went under the trees, the light seemed to disappear.  Theo stood still on the dirt road with her eyes closed, waiting to adjust to the new darkness.

            When her eyes were functioning normally, she started down the road again.  The day was nice, and it hadn't rained in a while.  The path was dry and hard-perfect for walking on.  Theo studied the scenery around her.

            Tall trees grew up on all sides of her, with brown trunks and long, straight branches cloaked in thick green leaves.  Sunlight filtered down from above Theo, making patches of gold on the ground below.  The road she was on was well kept, and the shrubs and grasses at the sides of it didn't ever lean over it.  

            _If the rest of the roads are like this, Theo thought, _I don't think it will be so hard to find a flag!_   _

            Theo stretched her arms upwards, then broke into a quick trot.  Her spirits were lifting.  Suddenly, this task didn't feel so hard.  Theo felt sure that she would be able find a flag and get to the designated island.  

She could almost feel her trainer's license in her wallet. 

The noise from the Corral drifted away, as did the view of it.  Theo rounded a corner on the nicely trimmed path.

             The road split right there, one path going off to the left, and the other to the right.  The left path went deeper into the forest, disappearing in the distance.  Theo looked to the right, and saw the forest break farther on.  She couldn't see what was past the trees, though.

            "Hey.  You.  Stop right there!"

            Theo froze.  The voice had come from behind her.  

            There were sounds of branches being snapped and grass being crushed.

            "Yo.  Stupid.  Are you going to turn around or not?"

            Theo bristled.  Her fists clenched.  She turned around slowly.

            It was a boy, who looked to be around Theo's age.  He had shaggy brown hair and gray eyes the color of dirty snow.  He was glaring down at Theo.

            "Do you have a flag?"

            Theo didn't respond for a second.

            "Hey, are you deaf or something?  Do…you…have…a…flag?!"

            The boy's voice was harsh and slightly nasal.  It made Theo's hair stand on end.

            "No," she said quietly, "I don't."

            "Oh.  Jeez.  It really wasn't that hard a question.  Man."  The boy turned away.  "I guess I'll have to wait for some else, then."

            "Why are you waiting here?" Theo asked suddenly.  She didn't particularly like this guy, but planned to be polite.

            Even if he wasn't.

            The boy turned back to her.

            "Well, taking a flag from someone is a lot easier than actually getting one yourself, y'know."

            Theo swallowed.

"I thought the goal was to get one ourselves."

            The boy shrugged.

            "Yah, well, I will be getting one.  I just won't look for it."

            Theo liked him les and less by the minute.

            Suddenly, the boy turned back to Theo.  He looked her up and down, as if appraising her.

            Theo resisted the urge to either run or smack him.

            "I…" for a second, Theo lost her nerve.  The boy sneered slightly.  "Theo." 

            "Ah.  Hmmmm.  Is that like, a nickname or something?"

            Theo shook her head.

            "Oh."  He sneered again.  "My name's Aaron."

            There was a pause.

            "Y'know," Theo said quietly, "The Corral's right over there."

            "Yes_.  I know."_

            Aaron rolled his eyes at Theo.

            "Um, we're really close to it."

            "Thank you.  Do you always state the obvious like that?"

            Theo bit her lip to keep from yelling.

            "What I mean is, there's no way that anyone could get a flag this close to the Corral.  We're too close to the starting place."

            Aaron gave Theo another appraising look.

            "Huh.  Maybe you're not as dumb as you look.  You're right.  I'll have to wait farther down the road, I guess."

            With that, Aaron turned on his heel, and walked down the left path.

            Theo stood, dumbfounded.  Then anger washed through her system.  Her fists clenched.  She mumbled some unrepeatable things under her breath.

            _There's no way I'm going anywhere near him__ again, Theo thought.  Without a moment's hesitation, Theo marched down the right road._

            The forest ended as suddenly as it had started, and Theo was standing in a large clearing.  She was on top of a hill now, overlooking a meadow below.  There were four large ponds in the valley, with clear blue water and Magikarp swimming around in the shallower parts.  The sun sparkled on the water, and the grass looked especially green here.  Theo decided that this would be a good place to sit and get organized in.  

            She walked down the hill and sauntered over to the first pond.  The Magikarp that had been jumping neat the surface swam away quickly.  Theo sat down.  As she did, her backpack bumped against her belt, and her pokéballs rattled.  Theo jumped in surprise.  Aaron had made her forget completely about her new pokémon. 

            Theo took off her bag and her belt, and put the bag on the ground next to her.  Then she unlatched the first pokéball.  Theo stared at it for a second.  It was made of plastic and metal, and felt smooth and sleek in her hand.  She maximized it.  With a shaky sigh, Theo stood up again, and pressed the release button.

            There was the crackling sound of electricity, and the bottom of the pokeball fell open.  A red beam of energy shot out, and took form on the ground.  Theo jumped backwards in surprise.

            The pokémon looked a little stunned at being released.  It shook itself, and turned to look at its "trainer."

            "Pika?"

            Theo shook her head in surprise. 

            "A pikachu?" she said, astonished.  The yellow pokémon scratched behind one ear with a paw.  

            Theo had worked with pikachu before.  Slowly, she went down on her knees, and offered the pokémon her hand to sniff.  The pikachu came over on all fours, and politely sniffed the human's hand.  Looking gratified, it sat down and began to groom itself thoroughly.  Theo smiled.  One of the women at the adoption center had taught Theo to always offer her hand to a pikachu to sniff before trying to touch it.  All pikachu disliked being touched by people they did not know, and were inclined to shock strangers.

            "Hello," Theo said pleasantly.  The pikachu looked up, and nodded.

            "Kachu.   Pikachu chu pichu."  

            Theo smiled at the female pokémon.

            "I knew a pikachu at this place I worked once.  They called it Nari.  Would you mind if I called you that?"

            The pikachu shook its head and went back to grooming itself.  

            Theo grinned.

            "Okay then.  I never liked trainers called their pokémon by their species name.  It always seemed so impersonal."

            Nari didn't say anything.

            Theo reached for her belt, and pulled off the second Ball.  She maximized it, and sent out whatever was in it.

            The bulbasaur blinked in the sun, and looked around.  As soon as it saw Theo, it ran over and rubbed its head against her knees.  Theo reached down to pet it. It growled contentedly as she scratched behind its ear.

            "Bulba…" 

            Theo giggled.

            "You remind me of my friend Brooke at school.  She was always hugging everyone."

            The bulbasaur blinked up at its master.  She purred.

            Theo cocked her head slightly to one side, and studied Brooke's face.  The dark green spots on her face were arranged in a very unique pattern: The spots seemed to form a slightly lopsided five pointed star.  Theo brushed her fingers over it.  Brooke closed her eyes.

            "I always liked bulbasaur," Theo said, still petting her new pokémon, "Tyler really liked squirtle.  When we had just started wanting to become trainers, we always said we would go get our pokémon together, and we would take the squirtle and the bulbasaur."

            Nari looked over, and cocked her head slightly to one side.

            "Kachu pika pika pika chu?"

            Theo blinked.

            "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

            Nari looked a little sad, and just shook her head.

            Theo sighed, and picked the next pokéball off her belt.

            "I guess I should check who this is."

            She maximized the ball and pressed the button.  Electricity crackled, and the red beam shot out.  Theo was beginning to get used to the way the ball seemed to jump in her hand.

            The new pokémon was much bigger than the others.  It must have been at least six feet tall.  It smelled slightly of wood smoke and charcoal.  It was big and furry, with long orangey red fur dashed with jagged black stripes.  Pale yellow fur, almost cream colored grew from under its chin and chest, and from the backs of its legs.  Its tail was long and the same color as the fur on the pokémon's chest.  It carried the tail high, like a kind of banner.   

              It growled, and shook itself.

            Theo swallowed.  It took her a second to figure out what this creature was, but then she remembered.

            "Arcanine…" Theo breathed.

            The animal turned and looked at her.  He sniffed the air heavily, then walked over to the small human girl.  Theo couldn't help but be a little nervous.  These animals were almost legendary, and were often hunted for their fur.  She could see why.  Shakily, Theo reached up and ran her hands through her pokémon's mane.  The arcanine sighed happily.  Theo relaxed.

            "Do you have a name?" she asked.  Somehow, she didn't think she could come up with a name for the wonderful animal.

            It shook its shaggy head, and closed its eyes.

            "Well, what about…Flarefire?"  

            The arcanine opened his eyes and turned his head.  He licked the girl's hand.

            Theo smiled.  "Alright then."  She stroked the hair over his eyes, and Flarefire growled happily.  

            Theo sent out the next two pokemon together.  Their cries filled the once quiet air, and Theo and the other's flinched at the noise.  The flapping of wings and the stomping of hooves cracked through the air, and Theo covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut.  

            _Last time I ever do that!  Theo thought to herself._

            The noise died though, and Theo opened her eyes and stared out at the two large figures in front of her.

            Something large and brown filled her vision.  The animal tossed its head, and Theo jumped back so as to avoid being gored on its massive ivory horns.  The bull snorted, and walked towards Theo.  He bumped his head into her chest, knocking the wind out of the small girl.

            "Ooof!"  Theo grabbed one of the horns, trying to steady herself.  "I think you're a bit big for that, Tauros."

            The bull pokémon snorted.  Theo ran a hand through the considerable amount of hair on the bull's back.  She grinned.

            "I think I have the perfect name for you."  The pokémon stamped a hoof and tossed his head.  "Do you now the myth of the Minotaur?  Well, there is a king in it named Minos.  How does that name sound?"

            Minos turned and stamped his hooves in agreement.  He let out a booming low, and leaned his weight against Theo.  The girl barely had time to jump out of the way before getting crushed under the animal.  

            Suddenly, a black shadow fell over Theo and the pokémon crowding around her.  The human looked up, and her mouth fell open.  Something like a large bird or dinosaur was flying around above her, maybe sixty feet up in the air.  It let out a piercing scream, and dove towards the ground.  At the last second possible, it swept its wings out to the sides and caught air.  

            It landed gracefully on the ground.

            Theo was a little afraid to approach the creature.  She had never seen anything like it in her life.  It had skin the color of granite, and bright red eyes.  Its mouth was filled with sharp jagged teeth, and a pair of giant wings with hands at the midpoints took the place of arms.  Its feet had three toes on them, each tipped with a long, hooked talon.  The pokemon swished its tail behind it, and Theo saw the spade shaped end for a split second.

            "What are you?" Theo said, letting her breath out.  She had forgotten to breath.  The creature looked Theo up and down, and blinked its fierce eyes.

            "Aero…"

            Now it was Theo's turn to blink.

            "Aerodactyl?  I thought you were extinct!"

            The creature puffed up his chest and hissed a little.

            "But, I guess if you're here, I must have been wrong!"  Theo said quickly.  The aerodactyl seemed a little bit appeased.  Theo reached a hand forward and gently rubbed his beak.  When the pokémon didn't bite her hand off, Theo relaxed a little. 

"I think I'll call you Tyr, if that's okay."  Theo added quickly.  Somehow, she didn't want annoy this pokémon.  Tyr swished his tail, and growled throatily.  Theo took this for a yes.

The human looked at the pokémon in front of her.  

A pikachu, a bulbasaur, an arcanine, an aerodactyl, and a tauros.  Five pokémon.

Theo pulled the last pokéball off her belt. She gripped it for a second, then pressed the button.  There was an explosion, and Theo fell back onto her butt.  The other pokemon let out cries of protest and fear, and Theo covered her head with her arms five different forms ran over her.  A giant roar sounded overhead, and the girl covered her ears.  The sound was deafening.  Then there was silence.  Theo slowly raised her head.

The thing front of her was huge.  It was big on a scale like nothing else.  It towered above all of them, even Flarefire.  The pokémon was large and blue, with yellow fins running all the way down its back.  Theo looked up, and far above her saw the animal's face.  It was long and scary, with horns on its head and a gaping mouth full of razor sharp teeth.  The pokémon had no arms or legs, but it didn't need any.  It was terrifying anyway.

The Gyarados loomed over Theo, staring down at her through blood red eyes.  The girl swallowed, and a tiny squeak came out of her mouth.

Theo had never been scared of a pokémon in her life.  Humans scared her; pokémon did not.  But this one was different.  The gyarados could swallow her whole if it wanted to.  It was almost thirty feet in length, with a long, sinewy body made for gliding through water.  It was the perfect predator.

Theo wasn't scared.  She was terrified out of her mind.

"I…But…"  Theo couldn't speak.  The monster stared at her, and Theo heard the hiss of its breath.  The human swallowed.

"I don't know what to name you."  Her mind was blank.  All she could do was stare at the animal's glowing pupils.  

Something in the pokémon's eyes flashed.  Then it turned and slid into the water without a sound.  Theo suddenly realized she was shaking all over.  She crossed her arms over her chest, and tried to collect herself.  Somehow, the weather seemed to have gotten darker.  Theo shuddered.  The girl turned to look at the pokémon standing behind her.  They were all staring at her.  Theo sighed, and reached into her trampled bag.  She pulled out the map she had put in there, and looked at it.  When she heard scuffling behind her, she turned.  All the pokémon, except for the gyarados were still standing in a line behind her.  Theo sighed.  

"You guys can play out here for a bit.  I've got some work to do before I can do anything."

For a second, the pokemon just stood there, looking confused.  Then they all split up and went about doing different things.  Minos grazed.  Tyr soared overhead.  Nari was playing some sort of jumping game with Brooke.  It involved Vine Whipping and Thundershocking, and Theo had troubled understanding the rules from watching.  She wondered if there were rules.

Flarefire stood guard over them.  He patrolled the area, following scents and tracing them back to their sources.  The gyarados continued to swim in the lake.  Theo didn't look at him, and he didn't look at Theo.  Instead, the human girl busied herself with the map.  The entire area of the Pokémon Game Reserve was huge, and she needed to find some sort of route through it.  After half an hour or so of reading and studying, Theo found a course she liked.  Now she had a new problem though: where was she going to get a flag?  Basically everything was marked on the map, but the locations of the flags weren't.  Theo had no idea of how to find one.  She threw the map down and growled.

Brooke and Nari had stopped playing their game.  The pikachu was napping now, and the bulbasaur was sniffing around in the dirt.  Theo watched Brooke for a bit.  She had read somewhere that the bulbasaur was an amazing pokémon and highly prized for its sense of smell, which could smell a pack of predators over five miles away.  Theo sighed.  She had always wanted a bulbasaur, and was very happy that now she had one of her very own.

Well, for now, of course.  If Theo was unable to find a flag, she would lose all her new pokémon.  Her new friends.  Brooke had begun to dig trenches in the dirt with her blunt claws now.  Theo watched her.

And an idea came.

She shot up like a rocket, and called out to Brooke.  The pokémon abandoned whatever she had been doing, and scurried over to her master instead.   Theo looked down at the pokémon.  

"Brooke, I need your help."  The pokémon stared up at Theo. 

"Bulba?"

"Do you know the rules of the competition?"

The pokemon nodded.

"Okay, that's good.  I need your help to get the flag."

The bulbasaur jumped around.

"Bulba!  Bulbasaur saur!"

Theo grinned.

"Thank you."  The human leaned down and picked up the map and her bag.  "I need you to sniff out a trainer for me. Can you do that?"  Brooke snorted derisively.  "Okay then.  We have to be quiet about it though, because I need to sneak up and grab the flag from them."

The pokémon nodded and began to sniff around.  Theo picked up her stuff.  She spent the next five minutes trying to sort out her pokéballs.  It took a long time because she couldn't figure out which ball held who, and had to keep recalling and sending out her pokémon.  Finally, Theo got each pokemon onto her belt in the right slots.  Now only the gyarados and Brooke remained.

"I think I understand why trainers only send one pokémon out at a time," Theo said to no one in particular.  Brooke's pokéball lay on the ground in front of her.  Theo bent to pick it up.

Water exploded out from the lake.  Theo screamed and was knocked over by one forceful splash.  She looked up.  The gyarados had reared up out of the lake, and it was looking straight down at Theo, eyes blazing.  It pulled back its head suddenly, and opened it mouth.  The gyarados inhaled, and shot a huge blast of water straight at the human.  Theo screamed.

The jet went right over her head, and hit something behind her.  It cried out as the Hydro Pump attack hit it.  Theo turned when the spray had gone, and saw a raticate lying on the ground behind her.  Its fangs were bared, and its claws were out.  Theo knew it had been about to jump on her.  Brooke came running up the road, and stopped short when she saw the fainted pokémon Theo was staring at.

The human turned and looked at the colossal monster in the lake.  

"You…You just…"  Theo couldn't finish.  Before she had the chance though, the gyarados slithered up out of the water, and delicately touched his nose against the button on his pokéball.  He disappeared in a beam of red light.

Theo stared at the harmless little red ball on the ground.  She picked it up and minimized it.  Then she turned to Brooke.

"Gyarados…That thing…He saved me just now."

"Bulbasaur," the pokémon said quietly.

Theo swallowed.  "Yah.  Okay.  I'm okay."  Theo wasn't entirely sure whether she said that to reassure Brooke or herself.  She didn't have time to worry about it though, as her only pokémon out grabbed her by the cuff of her jeans and dragged her towards the road.  Brooke let go of Theo there and started down the path, with the human girl, still shaky from her near death experience following close behind.  

* * * *

                        Theo growled to herself and picked some burrs out of her hair.  She had lost sight of Brooke again; the bulbasaur kept disappearing in the underbrush.  They had been off the road of a mile or so now, and Theo was getting tired and angry.  The pokémon had apparently picked up some sort of scent, and was following it wherever it seemed to go.  Unfortunately, Theo had to follow her.  

            And this was proving difficult.

            "Brooke, can you wait up?  I can't find you!"  Theo groaned and looked around.  She couldn't see very far in front of her, and was beginning to feel a little panicky.  She felt trapped in all the bushes.  Everything felt closed in around her.

            Suddenly, Theo felt something tug on her pant leg.  She looked down, and found she was staring into the warm amber eyes of her pokémon.  Brooke released Theo's jeans.  The bulbasaur jerked her head to the side, and slunk away.  Theo followed, trying to move as quietly as possible.  

            The thorns and brambles stopped suddenly as Theo reached a clearing.  She was at the very top of some sort of slope, and looking down on a small meadow.  A large pile of rocks stood in the middle of it, and a long flag pole with a flying red flag stood propped up in it.  Theo almost whooped with joy, but kept herself silent when she saw a young boy standing nearby it.  A geodude and a sandshrew stood in front of him.  He was talking to them.

            "…Remember you guys, attack anybody who comes near here.  We have to protect the flag, or we'll lose.  You two patrol the area, and I'll stand her and guard the flag itself."  The boy smirked slightly.

            "Geodude!"

            "Sand!"

            The two pokemon took off in opposite directions, and stood guard on either end of the meadow.  Theo crept back into the brushwood on her hands and knees, trying very hard not to be detected.  She swallowed, and watched the two pokémon patrol the area from above.

            Theo felt something nudge her arm gently.  The girl looked over, and saw a determined looking bulbasaur standing by her head.

            "Bulba!  Bulba saur saur!"  The pokémon whispered fiercely.  Theo put a finger to her lips, telling Brooke to be even quieter.

            "I don't want to fight this kid," Theo said nervously, "I don't even know if that's allowed.  We need to think of some other way to get the flag."  The bulbasaur rolled her eyes and looked disappointed.  Theo bit her lip.  Then her eyes lit up.  "Wait, I got it!"

            Theo scrabbled around on the ground next to her, and picked up a large rock.  Then, without standing up, she threw it into the area.  It bounced off the stones propping the flag up, and clattered down the mound.  The boy and his two pokémon shot up and ran right over to investigate.  Brooke gave Theo an acidic look, which the girl could read all too clearly:  _And just what did that get us?! _

            "Quick," Theo cried, pointing, "While they're distracted!  Use your Sleep Powder, Brooke!"

            The bulbasaur jumped forward, and let out a huge cry.  All turned to look.  Brooke settled herself onto her front legs, and brought her large bulb up to bear.  

            "Bulba!" 

            There was a big SHPLOOF! sound, and a large cloud of glittery blue and silver dust filled the air.  It floated down onto the hair and bodies of the three in the meadow.  At first, they cried out and tried to wipe the stuff off their skin.  Then, suddenly, their arms simply dropped to their sides, and their eyes all closed.  The boy sat down and curled himself up on the forest floor, and his sandshrew coiled up next to him.  The geodude sank to the ground at the boy's feet and began to snore.  It looked very much like a large rock with arms.  All three, pokémon and human alike were sound asleep in seconds.  Theo turned and smiled at Brooke appreciatively. 

            "Wow.  That was some Sleep Powder attack.  I'm impressed."  Theo put her hands on her hips and looked down at her pokémon, who was sitting proudly on her haunches.

            "Bulba!  Bulbasaur saur bulba basaur bulba!"

            Theo smiled again.

            "I think we should get that flag now.  I'm not sure how long they're going to sleep for."

            The two slid down the mud slope and ran through the meadow, careful to avoid disturbing the prone bodies.  Theo carefully lifted the flag out of its place, and turned to Brooke.

            "C'mon, let's get out of here.  All I need is to find a safe place to spend the night, and by tomorrow morning, this flag'll be ours!"   

            The pokémon and human ran out of the meadow, leaving behind the boy and his pokemon.


	3. Chapter Three

            _Test of Fate, Part One_

                                                                                                Chapter Three-Evening Decisions

            Theo turned to look up at the sky again, shielding her eyes from the glare of the setting sun.  She was on the road again, because Brooke had finally found it, and it was much faster to travel that way.  Theo was on a hill now, staring out across the area in front of her which, was lit up by the setting sun.  A wind blew, rustling her clothing and blowing her blond hair out behind her.  The flag she carried snapped in the breeze.

            Theo clutched the shaft tightly against her chest, refusing to let it go.  She and Brooke had run for hours, away from that place where they had found the flag and that trainer.  They hadn't stopped running until they had reached the road.  Brooke had never left Theo's side.  When they had been too tired to run, they had walked, because stopping had never been an option for them.  Theo paused now though, staring out at the growing twilight.  She leaned against a tree and looked down at her pokemon.

            Brooke was, in a word, exhausted.  Bulbasaurs and all of their evolutions are not long distance runners, and the hours of running this one had just done were enough to leave her feeling tired, and her stubby legs little more than condensed jelly.  She caught Theo's eyes, and stared up into the girl's golden brown eyes through her own amber ones.  "Bulba…" she whimpered.

            Theo readjusted her bandanna, trying to get wisps of her long hair out of her eyes.  She sighed, staring down at Brooke.  "I'm sorry." She said regretfully, "I should have recalled you.  That wasn't very fair of me at all."

            Brooke closed her eyes and shook her head.  "Bulba, bulbasaur saur saur bulba."

            Now it was Theo's turn to shake her head.  "I wish I could understand what you're saying," she said.  Brooke rolled her brown eyes, then leaned her weight against Theo's calf.  

            "_Bulba_," she said again.  Theo sighed.

            "It's getting late," she said, staring out at the sunset again, "Perhaps we should find a camping site or something.  Settle down for the night."  Brooke nodded in agreement, and Theo rubbed the pokemon's head.  "You think so too?  Okay then, that's the plan.  Wanna sniff something out for us?"

            Brooke was off immediately, nose to the ground and her eyes fixed ahead of them.  She'd found some new energy somewhere inside herself, enough to help her sore feet go where her sensitive nose was leading.  Brooke traveled downhill again, Theo on her tail.  The pokemon wandered off the path, searching the ground.  There, ahead of them!  

"Bulbasaur!" she cried triumphantly.  Theo looked up, staring into the new clearing.  It was on a hill, but one side was shaded over by a giant rock and some trees and bushes.  In the soft light of dusk, the grass of the area had turned an extraordinary red color, like blood.  The road ran off to one side, curving away from the small campsite.  It was the perfect spot really- completely sheltered from the prying eyes of other trainers who might want to take Theo's flag while she slept.  The human girl grinned.  

            "This is perfect, Brooke," Theo said, looking around once again.  "Really perfect."  

The bulbasaur beamed, and Theo walked ahead of her.  She sat down ungracefully, sighing loudly and leaning her back against the rock.  Her legs were throbbing a little now, and Theo could barely feel her toes.  She had walked a lot today.  More than she ever had before.  

She hoped she wasn't going to pay for it in the morning.

Theo smiled a little, then looked down at Brooke, who had crawled up beside her.  "Man," Theo groaned, rolling her shoulders and sighing again, "What I wouldn't give for some painkillers right now.  Advil, or _something."_

"Bulbasaur…" Brooke agreed, and flopped down next to her trainer.  Theo moved a little, making room for the somewhat broad pokemon.  That bulb took up a lot of room.  

"Maybe that's part of the challenge of this," Theo thought out loud, rubbing her thighs, "You gotta be in good shape to take this kind of exercise."

"Bulba?"

Theo shrugged.  "Nevermind," she said, tired.  "Just thinking, y'know."  She looked down at the tired pokemon.  Brooke was sweating a little, and her amber eyes were half closed with weariness.  Theo frowned in concern.  "You wanna go back in your pokeball?" 

Brooke nodded wearily, and Theo smiled.  She reached for her belt, fingers searching until she found what she thought was the Bulbasaur's ball.  Unfortunately, when the girl pressed the button, a red beam of light shot out, and Nari came out, shaking her yellow head.  

"Pika…" she growled irritably.

Theo laughed weakly.  "Sorry," she said quickly, rubbing the back of her head.  She found the right pokeball this time, and pulled it off her belt.  "I guess it takes some practice to get this kind of thing right…"  She smiled at Brooke.  "Sleep well.  You deserve a good rest."  And the pressed the button and recalled the pokemon.

Some bird hooted in the trees above Theo, and the girl started in surprise.  She put Brooke's pokeball back on her belt, then reached for Nari's.  "Sorry," she apologized to the pokemon again.  "You wanna go back in?"

Nari looked up at Theo, her dark eyes reproachful.  "Pi pika pika chu chu pikachu pi…" she scolded, then began to walk around the campsite on all fours, inspecting it.  

Theo sighed, and dropped her head onto her chest.  Her thick hair fell out of her bandanna again and into her eyes.  She didn't understand what Nari had said, but, obviously, the pokemon wanted to stay out of her pokeball now.  Theo didn't mind, of course.  She liked company, even if it was only a pokemon she couldn't understand.  The girl sat up straighter, lifting her head and tucking the stray hairs behind her ears.  She reached back and slipped her backpack off her shoulders, dropping it on the ground next to her.  She began to rummage through it.

Nari looked up from the dead leaf she had been toying with, ears perking in interest.  She moved a little closer to the human.

Theo pulled out some assorted things- the book of matches, a snack bar, and her map.  The sun was sinking now, and the evening light was fading fast.  She got up then, stretching a little.  Her muscles seemed to moan.  "Nari?" she asked.

"Ka?"

"Could you help me gather firewood?"

Her ears flicked back and forth in consideration.  Then she nodded, and set off again, tail held jauntily high.  Theo followed after her, pausing only long enough to pick up the red flag again.

She wasn't going to let _that out of her sight.  _

The two collected wood for a little, then came back to the campsite and began to set up.  Theo made a little pile of dry wood, then lit a match and put it to it.  It didn't catch.  She tried again.  Still nothing.  Theo sighed a little, then sat back, hands on her thighs.  This wasn't good.  This wasn't good at all.  "Crap." She said, and drummed her fingers on her knees.  Well, it was getting dark now and she didn't have a way to make a fire.  She tried again with the matches, but the wood still didn't catch.  She sighed, feeling a bit lost.

Nari came forward then, dark eyes taking in her trainer's unhappiness. "Pika!" she chirped, getting Theo's attention.  The girl looked up.  

"What?" she asked.  

The Pikachu came forward, then closed her eyes.  Her ears flattened against the sides of her head.  "Ka-chu…" she grumbled, and electricity crackled at her cheeks.  A few sparks flew off, landing in the pile of twigs and bark.  They lit up, glowing red.  Theo leaned over quickly, tucking her hair behind her ears and blowing gently on the flames.  She added larger pieces of wood as the flames began to catch.  When the fire was crackling pleasantly, Theo looked over at her pokemon.  Nari was settled on her haunches, scratching behind one ear with a hind paw.  Theo smiled a little. 

"Thanks," she said.  

Nari looked up at her, blinked, then went back to grooming.

Theo settled her back against the rock again, trying to get comfortable.  The sun had set now, and the dark sky was just beginning to show stars.  Theo watched them for a minute, hands in her lap.  Then her stomach growled, and she reached for the power bar she had left out.  She unwrapped it and began to pick at it.  Theo was very hungry, it was true, but she only had a little bit of food and needed to save it, if she could.  She reached for the map at her side, and pulled it up onto her lap.  She began to read it.

Nari looked over at her trainer after a bit, surprised at her quietness.  The girl was reading something, her dark brows furrowed and her lips mouthing words around the bits of food she occasionally ate.  The paper on her lap seemed to be confusing her.  Nari sauntered over on all fours, then put her front paws up on Theo's knee. 

"Ka-chu?" she asked, poking the paper.  Her ears flicked back in forth in confusion.

"It's a map," Theo said, distracted.  "I'm trying to figure out where we are now."

"Ka…?"

Theo sat up straighter, running her hands down her back.  She was sore from bending over for so long.  She put the map down on the ground in front of her, so that Nari could see it.  "See?" she said, pointing to it.  "This is the Corral.  We started there.  Then…I think these were the lakes we stopped at, when I met all of you."  Nari nodded, and Theo studied the map a little more.  "And then we wandered off the path right here…"  She traced her fingers along the map, following the path she thought they had made.  "And then we found the flag…right here, because the path curved just like that."  She pointed to the perfect arc in the road she saw on the map.  Nari cocked her head to one side, following Theo's gaze and hands.  

"Pika?  Pi pi pika chu pika chu chu."

Theo bit her lip and rubbed her chin, studying the map.  "Hm," she said.  "…I think I remember that cross road as well, so we must be past it now.  Right…" she paused, searching.  "Right here.  We're here." Nari looked at where the girl's finger was pointing.  

They were at a second crossroad now, and here the road split into two separate paths, one heading directly south and the other going west.  Nari cocked her head to one side and chirped.

Theo smiled, satisfied.  It was a good amount of land they had traveled over today, really.  They had made good progress.  

"Ka chu?  Pii Pi ka chu."

Theo looked up at her pokemon.  She smiled.  "Sorry," she said, amused.  "But I still can't understand a word you're saying."

The pokemon sighed exasperatedly, then tapped the map with one paw.  Then she pointed to Theo.  "Ka-chu?"

The girl blinked, then nodded.  "Oh, I get it.  Right.  I'm looking at the map to figure out where we are, and what the best route to take next is.  See, we're here now, but…There are two paths we could take."  She pointed them out to Nari.  The pikachu nodded again.  

"Pika!"

"Now that we have a flag," Theo mused, "The only thing left to do is get to Sunset Island in the next two days."  She studied the map again, looking at the paths.  "Now…The path going south cuts straight through this forest area, down the mountain range, and then straight down through the rest of the park to the lake, where the Island is."  She frowned, concerned.  "The path to the west goes around this forest area.  Hm.  It's a _lot_ longer…"  She took another small bite of the food bar.  "Hm…"

Nari looked at the map upside down, ears flicking back and forth.  Then she looked up at Theo.  "Pika….Pika pi pika chu chu pi pi chu?"

Theo rubbed her chin.  "There's a path through the mountains.  A shortcut.  If we go through the forest, and then through mountain pass, we'll cut at least a day off the journey."

Nari's ears perked up and her eyes widened.  "Ka-chu!" she exclaimed.  Then her eyes narrowed, and she looked down at the map.  Her stubby fingers traced their way along the map's surface, searchingly.  "ka-chu…pi pi ka chu pi..." she said suddenly, and looked up at Theo, dark, fierce eyes suspicious.  

Well, Theo didn't need to understand her pokemon to know what it was saying then.  She sighed, and fiddled with her bandanna. 

_There must be  a long route for a reason…_

The human girl sighed, and read the map again.  Her eyes strayed to chart at one side.  "Oh." She said, and her eyebrows went up.  "_Oh."_

"Pika?"

Theo shook her head.  "Nothing." She lied quickly.

Nari's ears went back and she growled.  Theo flinched.  "Ah…I just found out why they have the long way around, is all."  Her voice was a little weak.

Nari straightened, pulling herself up onto her hind legs.  She looked quizzical.  And demanding.

Theo sighed a little, then shifted her weight around.  "Ah…The chart at the side says how dangerous one area is.  One x: not safe.  Two x's:  dangerous.  Three x's: …extremely dangerous."  Theo took another bite of her bar, but had a lot of trouble swallowing.

Nari looked at the map again.  Over the little green section that represented the forest Theo wanted to cut through was a number.  Nari found the number on the chart, and her dark eyes widened.  

"CHU!" she yelped.

Three x's.  Three big, black x's.   

"Chu chu pika chu chu!" she snapped, waving her paws around wildly.  Theo flinched.  She wasn't scared of Nari, really.  No, that wasn't it. But it was hard to ignore the fact that the tiny mouse pokemon now looked extremely upset, and little electric sparks were crackling off her cheeks.  Theo would have much preferred to _not_ get electrocuted.  She backed up a little, waving her hands in front of her.

"Okay okay, so maybe it's a little dangerous, but-"

"CHU!"

"Okay…A lot dangerous.  But if we take the long way around, how do I know I'll make it there on time?  It may be safer, but it's slower.  And a trainer who gets a flag but doesn't make it to Sunset Island still loses."  Theo sighed.  "I'd rather risk a little danger and get there early than be safe about these things and not get there at all."

Nari's eyes narrowed, and she sat down on her haunches again, paws folded crossly over her chest.  "Pikachu…" she muttered, but didn't complain any more than that.

"Look," Theo said quickly, pointing to the map again.  "The forest- what do they call it…The Manya Jungle?- it's barely more than a mile or so wide.  If we cut straight through it, sticking to the road, we'll be out of there before lunchtime.  Besides…I highly doubt they'd put something in this park that we wouldn't be able to handle.  It might be dangerous, but it _must be doable."  She smiled at Nari, genuinely convinced of her own safety.  "And with pokemon like you and the others to protect me, what could possibly be out there that I couldn't handle?"_


	4. Chapter Four

            _Test of Fate, Part One_

                                                                                    Chapter Four- Criminal Actions

            "Wee!"

            A large cloud of dust was stirred up as the Eevee hit the ground.  It made a large _Thunk__! sound as it landed, and the young boy with dirty blond hair behind it cried out in terror as it moaned pitifully and didn't try to get up._

            "Oh Eevee!" the boy yelled fearfully, "Are you okay?!"

            The pokémon whimpered.

            The boy ran forward to pick his wiped out friend up, but the Scyther that the Eevee had been facing off against stopped him.  The boy stepped back, retreating from the pearly white, razor sharp blades of the mantis pokémon.

            The boy's opponent trainer, a young man with shaggy brown hair and dirty gray eyes stepped forward and pulled the fainted Eevee off the ground by the scruff of its neck.  Aaron sneered slightly at the tiny fox.

            "Pathetic," he said, holding it out at arm's length like a piece of nasty smelling garbage, "I hate weak pokémon."

            The blond boy turned and looked up at Aaron past the Scyther's blades.  His eyes were wet.

            "I...Aaron, please give me my pokémon back!"

            The brown haired boy looked down at his weak opponent, and then back at the creature he held.

            Too easy.  It had all been too easy for him.  This boy had a flag, and he meant to take it.  He had found this stupid child by a stream, walking along with the red beacon of success clutched in his little hand.  Aaron had challenged him to a battle, with the flag as the prize.  The boy had stubbornly refused, claiming that he had had the flag for twenty four hours and that it was officially his.  The little boy had turned to continue down the path, but Aaron had sent out his scyther and attacked the flag holder with it.  The boy had sent out his pathetic pokémon one by one to protect himself, until it came down to this eevee.  It had put up a good fight, but it had been weak, and scyther had taken it down easily.  

            Now here they were, standing by a crystal clear stream, with green trees sheltering them from the sun.  They were standing on the dusty road, which was riddled with the paw prints of different pokémon.

            Aaron dropped the animal he held onto the ground at his scyther's feet.

            "Don't let him have it, Scyther," Aaron said calmly, "Jamie and I have some bargaining to discuss."

            The boy, Jamie, gulped.

            Aaron grinned malevolently.

            "Well kid, it seems you're out of ways to defend yourself.  I think it would be wise to give me the flag now."

            Jamie clutched the flag against his chest.  He hadn't let go of it throughout their entire battle.

            "I won't give it to you, and you're not allowed to take it!  That's against the rules!"

            Aaron rolled his eyes, and brushed some unsettled dirt off his dark purple coat.

            "Rules, rules, rules.  That's all I ever hear out of puny, wannabe trainers like you.  You're always sprouting rules to save your butts.  You lost the battle Jamie, and now I get to take the prize."

            "No!"  Jamie narrowed his eyes, and stood up.  He planted his feet firmly apart, and held onto the flag tightly.  For a second, Aaron raised his eyebrow at the little boy.  Then his lip curled.

            "You're a stupid one, Jamie.  Scyther!"  The pokémon flinched slightly at the sound of its name barked out, but turned its head slightly and acknowledged its trainer.

            "Scy?"

            "Scyther," Aaron said in a cold and casual voice, "Would you mind killing that eevee for me?"

            It was hard to tell who was more shocked- the pokémon or the Jamie.  The scyther raised its claw though, and prepared to bring it down on the eevee's neck.

            "No!" Jamie cried.  He flung himself on the ground and reached for his own pokémon.  The scyther jerked its claws reflexively, and the boy jumped backwards to avoid being sliced in half by the pokémon's wicked scythes.  Jamie began to cry.

            "Yes," Aaron said, his voice as icy as his stare, "That's what I thought.  Trainer's like you always go soft at the last moment.  Hand over the flag, and I won't kill that useless lump of fur right there."  He pointed to the eevee, and gave Jamie a cold glare.

            Jamie looked up at Aaron, eyes full of tears.  He stared into the trainer's eyes, searching for some little bit of pity there.

            He found none- only a frighteningly twisted determination.  Jamie opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it then.  He looked at the scyther in front of him.  Its claw was raised over the body of the eevee, which was breathing weakly.  The mantis shook its wings, and its eyes shifted back and forth, as if looking for some sort of escape route.  It caught the Jamie's eyes, and gave him a pleading look.

            "Scy…"

            "Shut up, Scyther," Aaron said.  The pokémon ducked its head submissively, and closed its mouth quickly.  "And both of you stay where you are."

            The scyther raised its claw again, a sadly determined look on its face.

            Jamie wiped his nose, and sniffed.  He looked at Aaron again.

            "You…You wouldn't…"

            Aaron's voice was sharp and precise.

            "I would."

            Jamie felt his fingers and toes go cold, despite the warmth of the sun on his face and clothing.  Aaron wasn't lying.  He knew it.

            "If I give you the flag, you'll give me Eevee back?" Jamie said faintly.

            A sickeningly self satisfied smirk appeared on Aaron's face.  His face lit up, and Jamie could almost see the wheels turning in his head behind those filthy snow colored eyes.

            "Of course I will," his voice was silky, "give me the flag and I'll hand your little pokémon right back."

            Jamie swallowed, then threw the flag over without any hesitation.  He sighed in relief.

            Aaron caught the flag in one hand, and ran his pale fingers up and down the plastic shaft.  An evil grin came over his face.

            "Eevee…" Jamie whimpered.  Aaron turned.  The pokemon was gasping a little.  He watched as its coal black eyes opened a little.

            "Weeee?" it said quietly.  Jamie smiled and reached for it.

            "Scyther!"  Aaron cried suddenly, shocking everyone present, "Use Slash!"

            The pokemon had been trained for battle, and its reaction to the command was instantaneous.  With movements so fast the two humans could barely see them; the pokemon shot forward and brought its claw down on the opponent.  Scyther had expected the eevee to move, or at least dodge the blow somehow.  He thought that the eevee would defend itself.  

            There was a thick sound, like that of a blade slicing through meat, and a sharp click as the same blade hit bone.  

            Scyther pulled back, horrified.  It looked at its hand blade in a kind of appalled trance.  It was red with blood.  A sweet smell of honeysuckle and something salty filled the air.

            Jamie screamed and began to bawl.  He wrapped his arms around the limp form of his pokemon.  He tried desperately to squeeze the life back into it, but only managed to get warm blood all over his sleeves and shirt.  The eevee didn't move.

            Aaron stood behind the three, looking somewhat indifferent.  His arms were folded across his chest, and he blinked slowly.  A deep frown lengthened across his features.  Then he reached to his belt, and withdrew a pokeball.

            "Return Scyther."

            The mantis didn't even flinch when the red beam of energy hit it.  It was shaking in fear and barely notice as it was recalled.  Jamie turned to look up at the evil man in front of him. 

            "You…You killed him!"  Jamie's eyes filled with new tears.

            Aaron readjusted his grip on the flag.

            "It was weak.  If it couldn't defend itself, then it deserved what it got."  Aaron gave the child a scornful look.  "I could kill you right now, too.  I won't though.  I think _this_ is better."  He smiled ruthlessly at the picture of Jamie clutching the dead eevee in his arms.  

            Jamie began to sob.  Aaron could hear the boy muttering things under his breath, some of which sounded like prayers.  He sneered, then he put Scyther's pokéball back on his belt, and began to walk away.  As he passed Jamie, he stopped, and ruffled the boy's hair.  Jamie flinched, and Aaron grinned wickedly.  Then he disappeared into the trees.

            Although the new noises of Jamie's sobs filled the air, the forest around basically went on around him as it had before.  The trees still shaded the path, and the dust stirred up by the battle had settled.  The only difference was that the stream now ran red with the eevee's blood.


	5. Chapter Five

            _Test of Fate, Part One_

                                                            Chapter Five-Jungle Hazards

            Theo was up early the next morning.  She jumped to her work, cleaning up her campsite and gathering her things together again.  She recalled Nari while she was still asleep, not wanting to disturb the Pikachu.  When everything had been gathered up and her pack was on her shoulders, Theo bent over and picked up the red flag that lay close by her.

            The flag was wet with dew from the night, and Theo ran her sleeve across it to dry it.  She smiled a little in satisfaction.  The flag was theirs now, really theirs.  By now, she had had possession of it for twenty four hours or more, perhaps, and that meant she was no longer at risk of losing it to someone else.  They were safe from _that_ particular problem.

            Theo sighed then.  Well, they had others to do deal with now instead.  The girl tucked the flag under her arm and pulled the map out of her bag.  She looked over her charted course again.

            It was simple really- through this area, the Manya Jungle.  That was the quickest, if most dangerous, path to take.  Theo was sure that they could get through it all right though.  Then, past that, there was a small area of mountains and rocky hills.  Judging from how the map portrayed them, the entire place was steep, rocky, and full of dangers.  Theo had the feeling that one misstep could send her rolling down the mountainside.  She looked for an alternate path, but couldn't find one.  The path through the Manya Jungle led straight through that next obstacle.  Theo looked closer.  The trail split strangely though.  On path led through a small dip in the peaks.  It was a low area, like a break in the mountains.  It was labeled on the side chart- Mountain Pass.  Theo raised an eyebrow.  Not a very surprising name.  It was marked though.  A single black x was printed right next to the name.  Theo sighed.  Great.  More risks.  More danger.  What was she getting herself_ into_ here?

            The other path led up one mountain, and stopped very abruptly at the top.  Theo studied it, confused.  That was strange.  Why would they have a path through the park that didn't go anywhere?  The idea hit her then.  Of course.  So simple.  The path did lead somewhere, and Theo was willing to bet that it led directly to where a flag was placed.  What a good idea too- just hard enough to reach that it provided a challenge, but easy enough that nobody risked a broken neck.  Theo smiled.  She already had a flag though.  She didn't need a second one.  

            So, that was the plan.  Through the Manya Jungle, then on through Mountain Pass.  After that, the park roads split in many different directions, all of which led to the beach right before Sunset Island.  Theo smiled.  If she pushed it, she could easily make it through the park in the last two days.  One end to the other.  Her grinned widened.

            She had a road, she had a plan, she had a flag, and she had six pokémon on her belt that were willing to help her if need be.

            Then Theo frowned, and her fingers brushed over the sixth pokéball on her belt.  The one containing the blue monster.  Well then. Five, at least.  Theo sighed.  It was one thing to watch footage of Gyarados destroying entire towns and villages in mad rampages, but entirely another to have such a crazed and dangerous beast tucked into her belt.  Another sigh escaped her lips.  She was going to avoid using that sixth pokéball if she could.  

            The sun was just coming up over the horizon when Theo started out again, flag in her hand and her backpack slung across her shoulders.  The road was nicely kept here, the same packed brown dirt that she had been walking on before.  Theo had the distinct impression that the road wasn't paved anywhere in this place.  _They must be trying to keep it as close to what you'd find in nature as possible_, she mused.

            The trees were lit up with the sun's first golden rays, the green of the forest now splattered with a warm yellow color where the light hit the road through the trees.  The ground was still wet from the last night's dew, the grass still dripping little drop of water onto the ground.  Theo sighed happily.  She was a city girl, and had never been out in nature like this before.  She liked it.  And she liked being out on her own like too, in the woods.  She felt…Independent.  It was nice to be taking care of herself, all _by_ herself.

            But that made her wonder about other things as well.  Other people.  Theo looked up at the blue sky, squinting at the sun.  She wondered how Tyler was doing, if he had gotten a flag for himself, if he was making as good time as she was.  Theo wondered if, by some strange twist of fate, the two of them would meet up in the park again.  She smiled faintly at that.  Just a fantasy, perhaps, but a nice one.  She wondered if he'd be proud to know she had gotten herself a flag.  Theo continued walking, still looking up at the sun.  Yeah.  Tyler would have been proud.  And he would have said something along the lines of, "Don't see why you're so surprised though, Theo.  _I always knew you could do it."_

            She flushed at the thought. 

            Theo was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the scenery changing until a large shadow fell across the path in front of her.  She stopped, surprised by the sudden difference in light.  Theo looked up, and had to swallow her fear.  She had been walking through some kind of clearing before, but now the path led into a new kind of forest.  The trees there seemed to wind around each other, as if some kind of giant hand had come down from the sky and twisted the gnarled branches around each other.  Thick, leafy vines hung down from the upper reaches of the trees branches and hung, their tips just brushing the ground.  Bushes with sharp thorns and wide, green leaves were everywhere, almost engulfing the sides of the path.  The road disappeared into the gloom of the forest, because the trees were too tightly packed for sunlight to penetrate their leaves and hit the forest floor.  

            Theo swallowed and took an involuntary step back.  This- quite obviously the Manya Jungle- looked like the dark and scary forests in fairytales Theo had read as a kid.  She almost turned back right then, scared of the twisting, writhing forest ahead of her.  She didn't like this one bit.  The three x's flashed through her mind suddenly.

            …What could possibly be in there to make it so dangerous?  Poisonous plants?  Did the path twist and turn, making it easy to get lost?  Were…Were there dangerous pokémon in there?

            Theo stood there for a couple of minutes, staring at the cruel looking forest decorated with vines that hunched ominously over her.  The Jungle seemed to be, in the strangest of ways, watching her.  Waiting for her.  Theo swallowed once again, then clenched her jaws and steeled her nerve.  She walked into the woods.

            The first step was the hardest to make though.  Once she was inside the Jungle, Theo breathed a sigh of relief.  When she wasn't looking at it from the outside, it didn't look nearly so bad.  In fact, the darkness she had perceived before was a welcome change- she finally had some relief from the hot sun.  It smelled nice as well.  Not flowers she recognized, certainly, but nice flowers all the same.  Birds sang, and the Jungle rustled with movement.  It really was alive, though not nearly as sinister as Theo had pictured it to be.

            She walked down the path, flag still tucked against her side.

            Her thoughts turned to Tyler again, and she sighed a little.  She hoped he was doing as well as she was.   But…Theo didn't doubt that.  Tyler didn't get scared of things the way she did.  She was scared of a little bit of forest.  It would have taken a lot more than that to make Tyler blanch.  Theo sighed and smiled a little, looking at the ground.  Yeah.  If she knew Tyler, he was well on his way to getting his license by now.  Nothing would stop him.  He had wanted this since they were kids.  Theo knew that Tyler's drive to achieve his goals was enough.  If he wanted something, he worked until he got it.  Theo scuffed her shoe against the ground.  Not like her.  She could wish all she wanted, but that alone wasn't enough to get her through.  Theo mused on that for a second.  She and Tyler had talked about that once.  What had he said about it…?

            _You just think about the things you think about too much, Theo.  I mean…- and there he had rubbed the back of his neck like he always did when he was at a loss for words-_ Well…You just have to do the things you do sometimes.  You can't second guess yourself all the time like that.  You just have to…do what feels right sometimes.  You think about it too much and you lose sight f what you were trying to do, cause you don't know how you felt about it in the first place anyway.  You know what I mean?__

Theo had smiled and old him they had a word for people like that:  Impulsive.  And, in his case, incoherent.  They had laughed and turned away from the topic.  

            But Theo had taken the words to heart, even if she couldn't always follow them.

            The Jungle had changed around Theo, even if she was too lost in her own thoughts to notice it.  The foliage was thicker now, the trees bigger and more gnarled than before.  Vines hung everywhere, and sunlight barely reached the forest floor.  The path was overgrown now, with thorny bushes reaching out to snatch at Theo's clothing and hair.  No birds sang.  The Jungle was quiet.

            Theo was busy listening to the sound of Tyler's voice though, and didn't notice the silence.  Or the sound of rustling leaves that shattered the stillness on her right side.  And her eyes were focused on the forest floor, her attention on the thorny bushes she was trying to avoid getting snared on, so she didn't see the shadowy movement on her left.

            But then, when the walls of vines on either side of her burst open in a flurry of broken tree limbs and loose leaves, Theo noticed.  In fact, she did more than notice.  She screamed and threw her arms over her head and crouched down on the forest floor.  Something hot and wet splatted on the ground next to her, and droplets of something thick and sickly yellow splattered all over the arm of her coat.  There was a hissing sound, and steam rose from the burning fabric.  Theo screamed again, and stumbled backwards.  She looked up at her attackers.

            There were four of them, all identical in shape and form.  They were also, undoubtedly, the strangest creatures Theo had ever seen.   

            The pokémon were large, as big as Theo was herself.  Their bodies were yellow and shaped a little like the giant bells in church steeples.  Like hideous bells.  Hideous bells with fangs and narrow eyes and noxious yellow liquid dripping from the tops of their heads, where their mouths were.  They glared at Theo, and one whipped the vine protruding from its head around menacingly.  

            Theo gulped and slid backwards on her butt, fingers sinking into the wet, packed earth of the path.  She stared up at the fierce looking pokémon in front of her, terrified.  She was too scared to move, too scared to even think.  Definitely too scared to run.  

            "Tree…." On hissed.

            "Treebel!" Another answered.

            "Victreeeeee!"

            "Victreeeeebel!"

            Obviously, the four had made up their minds as to what Theo was in comparison to them, because they advanced then, snarling out their pokémon name.

            Theo retreated again, scrambling backwards along the path.  She had no idea what these creatures were, but she did know they weren't friendly.  And she could just as easily tell they were hungry.

            It happened in a flash then, a surge of adrenaline and instinct.  Theo hadn't planned to rip the pokéball off her belt like that, but her hand scraped against her belt while she was pushing herself backwards.  It had just felt _right to do that._

            The red and white ball flew open when it hit the ground, a a bright beam of light shot out.  That made the attacking pokémon jump and hiss in surprise.  And then the red light seemed to condense, and took the form of a massive, shaggy snarling dog.  The other pokémon let out howls of disapproval.  Flarefire answered with a rumbling growl that seemed to make the air around his head vibrate.  He lowered his head.  His black and orange hackles were raised, and his muscular legs spread far apart in a defensive stance.  He lowered his head and bared ivory teeth at the other pokémon.  They retreated a little more in surprise.  Their prey did have defenses.  Good ones.  They would have to be more careful now.  

            Theo pushed herself to her feet and backed up a couple of steps, moving directly behind Flarefire, using his impressive bulk as a shield.  His orange ears flicked back towards her, and he seemed to hesitate, as if unsure of what to do.

            But just at that moment, the four pokémon flung themselves forward at Flarefire.  They whipped at him with their vines, and snapped their strange jaws.  Flarefire let out a volley of rapid barks and flung himself at his attackers, his own jaws snapping and his body a whirlwind of orange and black fur.  His teeth came within inches of his closest attacker, and would have gotten him, but another came up on his blind side and slammed him hard on the left.  Flarefire let out an injured yelp and went tumbling over, landing hard on his back.  The four pokémon were on him in an instant.

            "No!" Theo cried, and she plunged forward into the fray without thinking.  Again.  She kicked out at the nearest pokémon, and her foot connected with its fat body.  The blow wasn't hard enough to do any actual damage, but it surprised the pokémon greatly.

            "Victreebel!"  the pokémon cried, and skipped out of the way of the offending boot.  It was enough room for Flarefire to stumble awkwardly to his feet, moving towards and in front of Theo.  He was panting, his dark eyes blazing with hate and pain.  The other pokémon were glaring back, but neither made a move towards each other.

            At first, Theo thought the pokémon were studying each other, but she realized quickly that that wasn't it.  No.  The truth was, none of them knew what to do.  The four attacking pokémon had tested Flarefire's and her own defenses, and found them formidable.  And Flarefire…He was watching them, but his eyes kept flicking back and forth, never staying long on any of them.  He was tensed, waiting for an attack, but he had no idea where it would be coming from.  His ears were flicking back and forth nervously, and he was panting, a little blood dripping down into one eye from a cut he had taken from a pokémon vine.

             And it struck Theo then, watching the pokémon standing there like that.  She knew what her job was.  She knew why Flarefire needed her.  Theo knew Flarefire had the strength to take the other four pokémon.  Theo didn't know how she knew, but she did.  But now, as she stood there, watching the five of them glaring at each other, not one advancing…She knew what a trainer's job in battle was.  

            Not brute strength.  Not fearlessness.  

            Strategy.  

            Flarefire was a powerful fighter, a brawler.  He had a bark, but he was twice as much bite.  But he couldn't see the attacks coming the way Theo could, and he couldn't fight off four by himself.

            But he wasn't alone, Theo decided then.  Her fists clenched.  She was there.  

            They were a team.

            "Flarefire!" she yelled, and the pokémon looked back over his shoulder and barked loudly to her, "Use an _ember attack!"            _

            The Arcanine sprang forward and inhaled deeply.  Then he opened his jaws wide and spat out orangey red flames.  The other pokémon jumped backwards, looking as frightened as their "faces" would allow.  Then their eyes narrowed and they sprang forward again.

            "Vic!"

            "Tree!"

            "Bel!"

            "Victreebel!"

            "Flarefire!  Dodge their attacks!  Jump to the left!"

            The command came just in time.  The fire dog leapt to one side, and all four pokémon lashed out with their head vines where Flarefire had been standing seconds before.  The last vine was a narrow miss- the sharp, bladelike protrusion on the end of one pokémon's vine cut a wide, deep trench inches from Flarefire's right paw.  

            Theo's heart was beating fast now.  The sensible part of her head was telling her to be logically terrified. If she and Flarefire lost now, he was dead and she was pokéchow.  There was "a lot on the line."  But Theo didn't feel terrified.  She didn't even feel scared.  She felt…exhilarated.  She was getting dizzy with excitement, her golden brown eyes gleaming in the shadows of the Jungle.  She felt confident.  She felt more than confident.  She knew they would win.  She didn't stop to try and ponder out why or how she knew, but focused on the battle in front of her.  She saw it all with a kind of clarity she hadn't possessed before.  She could see the small body movements the other pokémon were making, the way they twitched their head vines and hissed out their names wildly to each other.  She didn't know what they were saying, but she _knew_ they were nervous.  She knew they knew they couldn't win.  And she noted, with her new found clarity, that Flarefire was favoring his right side, that his front paw was injured somehow, and he was limping.  It was bleeding a lot.  Theo bit her lip.  The battle had to end soon, or Flarefire might get really hurt.

            Theo took a step forward, and the sensible part of her mind seemed to wash off her like water.  

            "Flarefire!" she yelled to her pokémon, and he lifted his tail proudly, like a long, flowing banner behind him.  "Give them your best!  _Flamethrower!"_

            The fire seemed to blaze in the Arcanine's eyes before it reached his mouth.  He growled harshly and lowered his head, hunching his shoulders menacingly.

            "Aru…."

            And then he sprang forward, uncoiling like a slinky being pulled out straight by a toddler, and flames leapt from his throat in a white hot flash that turned orange and red as soon as it left his lips.  The flames hit the leader, and the pokémon squealed in pain.  The others got scorched, but managed to escape getting too injured.  The leader dropped on the spot, blackened and smelling slightly of burnt marigolds.  Yellow slime began to ooze from the corner of its mouth.

            Flarefire landed on all fours, and if his front leg ailed him from the hit he had received, he ignored the pain.  He snapped his jaws menacingly at the remaining three pokémon, and small tongues of flame shot out from between his teeth.  

            Without so much as a pause for breath, the others fled.

            Theo whooped loudly at their retreat, and Flarefire followed by adding his own loud, happy bark to her cheer.  Theo grinned at her pokémon and walked over to him.

            "That was amazing," she said seriously, and sank her fingers into the soft layers of cream colored fur on his chest.  "_You were amazing."_

            Flarefire whined happily.

            Theo smiled up into the Arcanine's black eyes, then looked down at the fallen leader next to them.  Her mood darkened instantly, and she frowned.  Her hands stilled on Flarefire's sides.

            "Crap," she muttered to herself, and Flarefire nudged her with his wet snout comfortingly.  "I have to get out of here," she told him seriously.  That sensible part of her brain was creeping back into its rightful throne inside her skull, and the full gravity of the situation was now beginning to dawn on Theo.  "I really have to get out.  Did you see those guys?  Of course you did," she added quickly when Flarefire growled his disapproval.  "They were going to eat me.   I had no idea how dangerous this place was." 

            Theo sighed, and gloomily fixed the bandanna on her head with one hand.  Actually, she _had had an idea.  Well, Nari had, at least.  Theo looked down at the ground.  She should have listened.  If she had, they wouldn't be in this mess right now.  The queen on her throne inside Theo's head began to scold her for her stupidity.  Then Theo smiled a little, faintly.  She patted Flarefire with her right hand._

            "So much for trusting my instincts, right?"

            He blinked.  "…Aru…Canine?"

            Theo shook her head.  "Never mind," she added absently.  "Doesn't matter.  What's most important now is finding a way out of this place.  And quickly, cause I don't want to run into anymore of _those things."  She pointed to the pokémon on the ground next to her.  _

            For a second, the Arcanine stood still, staring at Theo.  Then he whined resignedly, and nudged her elbow with his nose.  When he saw he had her attention, he bent down a little, and jerked his head towards his own orange and black striped back.

            Now it was Theo's turn to blink.  "…What?" She finally managed.

            Flarefire jerked his head towards his back again.

            Theo blinked again.  "…I take it…You want me to ride you?"  Her voice was small.

            The Arcanine nodded the affirmative.  "Aru!"

            "You wouldn't mind?"

            "Arcanine!"

            "…Are you sure you can lift me?"

            "Arucanine Aru Aru canine!"  And he had on the same look that Tyler got whenever Theo questioned his ability to complete a task.

            "All right, all right!" she said quickly, throwing up her hands in front of her protectively, "I will!  Just…Don't drop me, okay?  The last thing I ever rode on was a merry go round at a carnival."

            Flarefire tossed his head and whuffed snidely.  

            Theo grinned weakly, then placed her hands over the Arcanine's broad, soft back. After a couple of failed attempts, she managed to hoist herself up, and fix herself in the place a saddle might have been. She grabbed a couple of handfuls of Flarefire's soft white mane, swallowed, steadied herself, and nodded once.  Flarefire's ears flicked back towards her, expectantly.  She paled a little.

            "All right.  Okay.  To Mountain Pass then.  We're off?"

            And it was a question, not a command.  She had just wanted to check if Flarefire was ready or not.

            But with a light spring and the soft scruffling noise of wet dirt being displaced, the two had disappeared down the path and into the trees.


End file.
